Page 5

“Then my work here is done.”

Watching as the Butler stood to his full height, Hel’s throat was suddenly dry as he turned to the side and opened the door to the Grand Ballroom.But there was no going back.She was going to walk into that massive room full of every imaginable Magical, Mystical, and Enchanted Being in the entire universe with her head held high.No one was going to stop her from taking that vital first step toward the life she deserved.

Taking the flute of champagne–with a tiny rubber spider hanging on the side–that was offered by one of the Fairies buzzing about the room with trays of drinks and hors d'oeuvres, she saw the back of the Omnipotent Being known as Destiny as she talked and laughed with the Valkyrie, Liv and two of her sisters, Kelsey and Zuri.For the first time she could recall, Hel wasn’t nervous.She wasn’t self-conscious.As a matter of fact, it was the only time in her whole life that she hadn’t compared how she looked to all the other women in the room–and that was most definitely saying something.

“I am so very proud of you, Merch Hardd,”Carys whispered.“Now, get that cute little ass in there and knock ‘em dead.”

“You got it.”

Making a beeline for the group, she was less than ten feet away when the low, rumbling Texas drawl of none other than the Omnipotent Being known as Hope reached her ears.Tingles danced up and down her spine.Goosebumps did the Hokey Pokey all over her body–even her dead side.Her heart skipped a beat, and then her pulse raced like she'd just finished the Boston Marathon–and Hel didnotrun.

She wanted to run.She wanted to hide.She wanted to simply disappear into the Ether.

"I can't…"

"You can."

“No, I can't."

"You will not run away like you did at the Mating Ceremony.You can do this, and you…"

But Carys's words were cut off as Desi turned and welcomed, "Get on over here, Hel.I need help givin' old Hopper here a hard time."

Doing an abrupt and hasty about-face, the Norse goddess of Helheim made a beeline for the closest door.

“No!Hel!Stop!You can…”

But it didn’t matter what Carys thought.She wasn’t ready.She couldn’t do it.She would quite literally rather walk naked through the Fires of the Lowest Level of Helheim for all of eternity than face the one man in all the universe who she already loved with all of her heart and soul.

“Please, Hel, it’s not too late.”

But she wasn’t about to answer the Dragoness Queen with whom she shared her soul.Hel didn’t want to hear what Carys had to say.She was doing what she had to do and that was all there was to it.

Exiting so fast she had to work hard not to lose her shoes in the process–after all, she was dressed as Aurora, not Cinderella, she ran like the Hounds of Hell–the big ass Canines in Lucifer’s domain, not hers–were on her heels.Sweeping past Carlton without a glance in his direction, she raced down the hall with the exit in sight.

Faster and faster, she sped, but her charging footsteps almost faltered when she heard Desi whoop, "See?It’s just like I told y'all.Hopper boot scoots in and scares the bejesus right out of the one made for him by the Universe.Now, that's what I call a party!For the second time and in the very same room, he scared our beloved Hel right out of sight.I gotta say, I'm thinkin' our boy's gotta snowball's chance in Hell of ever getting’ a kiss from the goddess of Helheim.Are y’all with me?Or are you goin’ with the old adage, Fate will not be denied?"

Chapter2

The Day before Valentine’s Day

“But I don’t want to go.”Shaking his head and inhaling so deeply that his shoulders involuntarily scrunched up just under his ears, his mouth was moving before his brain was even close to catching up.“And before you say it… Yes, I know I sound like a whining child, but I can’t help it,” he ground out the last words through gritted teeth.

Turning away from the window, he was close to pleading, something he hadn’t done in centuries, and still couldn’t have cared less as he begged, “Can’t you just tell them I’m not feeling well?How about I have a fever?I threw up all over your shoes?I have the measles?The mumps?Smallpox?Chickenpox?Monkeypox?Elephantpox?”

“Elephantpox?”His Cousin snorted with barely contained laughter.“What the hell are monkeypox?Is that even a real thing?”

“Of course, it is.At least, I think…”

“Don’t even try it, Bud.”Shaking his head, Pat leveled his gaze, arched his right eyebrow, and leveled his glare.“Come on.You’re an Omnipotent Being, Hop.You can’t get sick… And theyknowthat because...”

“Because they are also Omnipotent Beings.Yeah, yeah, yeah…”

“Yes, exactly.See, that’s why…”

“Okay, then tell them I was called away to Dreki Island for an emergency.Remember you can’t tell them what the emergency is because they don’t know that Dreki is anything but my ‘happy place’.”Nodding hopefully, he quickly added, “But tell them I am away, and you don’t know when I’ll be back.Make my apologies with all your overwhelming grace and charm.You’re so good at that.I mean, you’re the best of all of us.”

“And you can stop with the buttering up.It’s not gonna work.”Looking over the rim of his coffee mug as he took a sip, Pat’s lavender eyes swirled with the Magic of the universe.Lowering the cup, he slowly shook his head.“Look, Hopper, you know I can’t do any of that.The only reason Desi is havin’ this party is to get you and Hel together once and for all.Valentine’s Day is just an excuse.If you miss this party, not only will she be pissed, but she’ll double down, and you and your lovely Mate will never have a moment’s peace.”